I read this book very soon after reading "Ferment" by Holly Davis, and could not help but compare the two. "Fizz" is written in a much more casual style, with far fewer technical details. It's focus is eight probiotic drinks, and includes two not mentioned in "Ferment". Specifically bread kvass and tepache. "Ferment", in contrast, has a much broader scope. It includes fermenting techniques for everything from sourdough bread to pickles and includes drinks not in "Fizz".

Both books were clear and understandable, however if you are interested in more of the technical details I would choose "Ferment". It certainly wouldn't hurt to read both.

I loved the artistic and colorful design of this book but wound up uninterested in the content. I should have read the description more closely before requested this book because I am not a fan of Kombucha and thought that this would be more about diy soda. This book is perfect for fans of healthy alternatives to bubbly beverages! The colorful and hand-drawn quality of the images throughout are engaging and eye catching. Each recipe is written with ample detail and should be fairly easy enough to follow. There is also loads of information at the beginning about the health benefits and the basics of fermentation. While this was not a book for me, it will be a gem for someone of that I am sure!

Solid recipes for the beginner home brewer. I do wish there were more suggestions for how to adjust and customize a given staple recipe. The recipes add given are all definitely on the safe side for how to assess success and in encouraging experimentation.

I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. I got it as a digital ARC but it is something I will definitely be purchasing; hopefully for my birthday next month.

What enchanted me first were the illustrations. Instead of using photography, there are lovely culinary illustrations throughout. It makes me nostalgic and happy in the way some of my favourite old cookbooks do, but in color! This is definitely a book that aims to become an heirloom.

The text is simple, accessible, and interesting. Many fermentation books I’ve encountered take an opposite approach, diving deep into the technical details for those of us who like to feel out on the science. If you’re well-versed in the world of ferments, not much here will be new, but it is the perfect inspiring and encouraging volume to hand to someone wanting to explore this world for the first time. Every project on this book has thorough but approachable instructions and ingredients, and the chipper but reverent attitude of the text makes me feel not only excited and capable of participating, but like I’m joining a long line of humble makers experimenting with the earth in their kitchens.

Honestly, even if you’re not planning to make anything, this book is a fun read to understand some culinary and cultural history and get yourself to loosen up about healthy bacteria and the idea of keeping food at room temperature.

It is almost entirely free of alcohol references (last couple pages include cocktail ideas using these non-alcoholic beverages) and accessible enough that you could give it to an older child. The images that my mind conjured up while reading of bubbling mixtures in jars all over the counters brought satisfaction and delight to my inner 6-year old who liked to mix shampoos and bath shoals into fizzy “experiments.” If only someone had taught me I could make things that were not only fun and bubbly, but healthy and delicious!

I loved this book! From the cover to the font chosen, I was hooked on the first page. I have loved fermented drinks for a long time myself, and reading about someone else's journey from making their own scoby to teaching their friends about their love of the bubbly stuff was heart warming. I loved that the author started the book with the basics on fermentation for readers who might not already know the benefits. Not to mention, the illustrations are gorgeous! I would recommend this book to any beginner fermenter.

Really enjoyed this book. Fermentation is such a trend at the moment, that googling kombucha or fermentation can send you down a real google-rabbit-hole. It's a joy to find a book that narrows down the subject to recipes that can easily be tried at home and in a professional kitchen, and enable to reader to start a new hobby straight away. As someone interested in low-alcohol options, and also someone who loves to drink (due to the flavours of fermented products) this book is one I feel I have been looking for. The range of fermented drinks are well chosen, and their cultural origins are fascinating. The illustrations are both quirky and informative and invite experimentation. I think this is an excellent book. There are plenty of writers able to delve into the complex, scientific side of fermentation, but few that make it so appealing and accessible (although the writer does include explanation where it is interesting and aids understanding). There is a simplicity to the writing that may frustrate someone more knowledgeable in the subject, and the heath benefits of fermented products are perhaps overstated. However, this is a hugely rich and valuable book due to the quality of the recipes and it is clear the author is a professional in this field.

This book does what is says on the tin: A good beginners guide to the art of fermented drinks, with clear instructions and simple recipes for easy-to-make drinks at home. Illustrations are direct and helpful but are not the most engaging, with a somewhat amateurish look.

The book is aimed at beginners so is unlikely to appeal to those already well versed in the art of fermentation. Barbara Serulus is a food writer, not a nutritionist, so the explanations on the science and technology of fermentation are relatively scant, offering simple 'bite-size nuggets'. Jars are described as needing to be 'clean' rather than 'sterilised'. Readers are advised to 'rinse them with a mixture of water and vinegar' rather than heating them in a hot oven as would be instructed in more advanced fermentation books. Likewise the history, health and preservation benefits of fermented drinks are passed over somewhat superficially.

It is a shame fruit shrubs have not been included in what is otherwise an excellent book for beginners.

I've been on the fizzy/fermented beverage train for over a decade now and I just can't get enough. As the popularity of kefir, kombucha, and all the other delicious fermented beverages (and their lovely probiotic lovelies) grow, it's no wonder that more and more people are looking at the benefits of homebrewing as it were.

FIZZ is a collection of some fairly basic recipes and instructions to make kombucha, kefir (water and milk-based), ginger beer, kvass, mead, and tepache of your very own at home. While some recipes require some specialized ingredients (SCOBY's and kefir seeds) others can be accomplished with using wild yeasts that exist in your very own home. Now, while the book contains fairly basic recipes, which is awesome and totally cool to know how easy it is to make these drinks at home, the author gives a bunch of options to snazz up your brews.

I've been brewing my own kombucha for about a year now and I love it but after a trip to New Orleans and having a local Ginger Beer brew I've been obsessed with making my own at home. I'm gluten-free so I have a hard time getting confirmation about ingredients in ginger beer. The idea of making my very own is super exciting to me and totally worth the cost of the book (in my humble opinion). I'm so excited to try some of the recipes in the book!

I would absolutely recommend this book for those that like to cook and are as equally ensnared by the yummy fermented/probiotic drink craze as me. Seriously, I can't wait. My very own homebrewed ginger beer and kefir! Yum!

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book is very informative and detailed. I liked the colorful illustrations, as they add a little pop to each page.

I caught the love of kombucha a few years back, but rarely buy it at the store given the expense.

With a copy of Fizz in hand now, I may no longer have to deny myself these kinds of drinks on a regular basis.

Instructions for making your own fizzy, non-alcoholic (or should I say really LOW alcohol content) beverages appear simple enough for anyone to follow.

Fizzy beverages tackled in this title are kombucha, kefir (both kinds), ginger beer, kvass (both kinds), mead, and tepache.

Along with the instructions for each, there are wonderful illustrations as well as some history of each drink.

I'm now getting supplies to test a few of these out myself, including the ginger beer. I adore ginger in many things and am curious to have a more historical beverage.

This book easily quenches all fears about fermentation! Before reading the only things I knew were that kefir was something to be kept alive like a sourdough yeast starter and that mead was made with honey. There is so little information about fermentation in the average person's life (or at least in mine) that many people are scared when they first hear of it. I started reading wondering if I could actually make my own fizzy drinks that were safe and healthy and I ended it searching for places I could get my own water kefir grains. I don't know yet if fermented drinks will change my life forever, but reading this book definitely has!

The thing that really stands out about this book is the drawings which were engaging! This covers kombucha, kefir (both kinds), ginger beer, kvass (both kinds), mead, tepache, and some cocktails to use them up. I knew some of these before and have made them using much the same techniques in this book but tepache was new to me. I purposely didn't look up any other recipes and mine came out tasty. I also appreciated the tip for how to recover an over-fermented batch.

It's time to get your fizz on! If you are a lover of fizzy fermented drinks then Fizz is a great book to introduce you into the wonderful world of fermentation at home. I have made my own kombucha, water kefir, and milk kefir...but I still consider myself a novice. I love the easy to follow recipes and enjoyed the historical aspect of these drinks. Plus loads to tid bits! Like I had no idea you can grow a scooby from store bought kombucha! Also, There were some drinks I have never heard of and am tempted to try. Great book!

FIZZ is a tutorial and recipe guide to fermented non-alcoholic drinks. Released 7th April 2020 by BIS, it's 160 pages and available in paperback format.

This is a surprisingly comprehensive book and full of background information about the drinks covered. During the lockdown part of the current pandemic, it seemed as though everyone I knew was learning to make kombucha and fermented breads. This book fits right into the skill building - self sufficiency - home hobby genre. Kombucha is indeed contained here in a really solid tutorial chapter, along with several kefirs, ginger beer, a couple of different kvasses, mead, and tepache. An additional chapter at the end of the book includes a number of mixed cocktails utilizing the non-alcoholic brews in the book.

The intro chapter includes a layman accessible explanation of fermentation, process, tools and ingredients, and hygiene and cleanliness. The following drink chapters include the necessary info to brew and enjoy non-alcoholic drinks at home.

Recipes contain ingredients in a bullet point list in a sidebar. Measurements are given in standard metric (ml, grams, etc), followed by step by step instructions. Alternative brewing methods or ingredients are listed after the main/classic recipe along with serving suggestions. There are no photos, but the book is enhanced by the addition of whimsically colorful illustrations.

Well written and presented, this would make a superlative gift choice, library selection, or a fine addition to the homebrewer's library.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really liked reading this book! It's much more thorough than I was expecting, and very well researched as well! This book is about types of fizzy drinks that are healthier (and tastier!) alternatives to carbonated sugary sodas that are so popular. This book not only shares the different drinks, but the recipes, the process, and the cultures are all shared from the research that the creators have conducted, all alongside beautiful illustrations to add to the experience of learning about these amazing healthy and medicinal drinks from all over the world!
This book is educational, inspirational, and entertaining; since the stories that form the history of each drink are shared as well.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like an alternative to sodas, be it a change of flavor, a new adventure in the kitchen, trying to lose weight, or if you're just tired of water and don't want to spend money on sugary drinks. This book is short and sweet, but packed with well-written information and lots of details that adds a lot of spark and fizz to the reading! The illustrations as well are so beautiful, detailed, and pair very nicely with the information provided!
I will definitely be looking into trying these recipes at home for myself and the fam!

<i>*Thank you to the publishers; BIS Publishers, the authors; Elise van Iterson and Barbara Serulus, and Netgalley for my free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.</i>

This was a great introduction to fermented drinks. I loved how simple the recipes are and how variations are provided. The book encourages experimentation and following your tastes. The graphics didn't always seem to fit the recipes, and I wasn't super keen on the caricatures; I would have appreciated real photos of actual fermenting processes. Overall, would recommend this book to anyone want to get into fermenting drinks. It inspired me to purchase a water kefir kit!

A great introduction to fermented drinks! Easy to follow instructions, and helpful tips make it a breeze to ferment your own fabulous drinks at home. I have made kombucha at home for some time, but now it’s time to try out water kefir with this fantastic recipe. But, before that I will make one of my favourite drinks ever, ginger beer. I have never tried it before, but after checking out the recipe I’m sure I’ll be mastering the art in no time.

Making fermented drinks is not hard, but there are some things you need to take into consideration to get it right. There are also some things that can go wrong even if you are careful. These things are also covered in this book. The great thing is that some of the recipes are really easy, affordable, and you’ll get results in no time. There is no better time than now to start fizzing it up!

I thought this book would be interesting but honestly, some of the recipes are hard to follow. The directions are not extremely clear and sometimes had me asking questions about missing steps. My calling may not be in making fermented drinks.